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E/N: Holy freak, is the plot plotting? What is up with Tan Han??? And that weird part about being the protagonist and pulling Yuehan out as canon fodder?
“Listen... I’m sorry, Bai Yu. I was being selfish.”
The moment we made it out—following the path Bai Yu remembered—the apologies started pouring out of me.
“As long as you realize that,” she said, her expression hardening. There was a rare, commanding edge to her voice that made me flinch. “Just promise me you’ll never come back here. Okay? Promise me.”
“I promise,” I said, nodding fervently.
“And one more thing,” she added, seizing the gravity of the moment. “Leave the Baking Club. Quit. Today.”
“I... wait, what? Why?”
My head spun. Where was this coming from? The two things had absolutely nothing to do with each other. I looked at her, my eyes searching hers for some hint of a joke, but her face remained a mask of cold seriousness.
“Is that a problem for you?” she asked.
“It’s just... I... the manager has been so good to me. And the seniors, they’ve been amazing. I can’t just walk in and tell them I’m quitting out of the blue. I...” I trailed off, my voice failing me. I looked at her again, pleading. “Bai Yu, I know you wouldn't ask me to do something like this—something I clearly don't want to do—without a good reason. So... can you just tell me why?”
“You can’t do it?” She didn't look surprised. It was as if she’d expected me to push back, as if she’d set an impossible bar just to make her next demand feel like a compromise. “Fine. Let’s try a different deal. But this one is non-negotiable.”
“Okay,” I said quickly. If she was willing to drop the club issue, surely whatever else she wanted was something I could handle.
What she didn't realize was that if she had pushed or if she had truly insisted, I would have quit the club for her. I didn't say that, though. I just waited for the other shoe to drop.
“Promise me you’ll stay away from Tan Han. No talking, no hanging out. Nothing. Cut her off completely.”
My jaw dropped. I stared at her, stunned. She clearly knew more than she was letting on—about the club, about Tan Han, about whatever vibe was growing between us.
“You want to know why, right? I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you that either.” She cut me off before I could even open my mouth, answering the question before it was asked.
“I see.”
I bit my lower lip, my mind racing. I was doing that thing I always do—trying to rationalize the loss of something I cared about. I’d done it when I left my past life behind, I’d done it with my family in this life, and I’d even done it with that ancient cell phone I kept on my nightstand long after it was broken.
And now, I had to do it with her. My brilliant, wealthy, "Golden Girl" friend.
Ending a friendship is never easy, and this was just the beginning. But on the other side of the scale was Bai Yu. She was my world. I would sacrifice anything to keep what we had intact. If it meant cutting ties now to avoid a total train wreck later, so be it.
“Okay. I promise.”
“Wait... really?” Bai Yu blinked, caught off guard by how fast I’d folded. She’d clearly prepared a whole speech to talk me into it.
(TR's note: the POV shifts to NARRATOR here)
She had realized that the world wasn't the same "predictable" place it used to be. In the worst-case scenario, if the "Protagonist" of the script went missing, the world might just stop spinning entirely.
She had already paid a staggering price to pluck Yuehan out of her role as "early-game cannon fodder" just to keep me from being dragged down by the plot.
As an Innate Psi-visioner and an Awakened, Yuehan was a walking glitch in the system. If the Demonspawn School hadn't found me first, triggering the Witch School to intervene, a wildcard like me would have been wiped from history without leaving a single ripple behind.
(TR's note: the POV shifts back)
“Yuehan… you’re serious? You’re actually agreeing to this?”
“Of course,” I said, meeting her eyes. Her face was a chaotic mix of shock and disbelief.
“Good… okay. Good.” Bai Yu looked like she was about to boil over with emotion. She lunged forward, trying to pull me into a massive hug.
Whether my answer was just a polite deflection or a sincere promise, Bai Yu didn't seem to care. She chose to believe me.
“Whoa! Easy there,” I said, gently pushing her back to keep a little breathing room. She seemed to be spiraling into some deep, personal moment of self-reflection.
It felt a little mean to think it, but I honestly had no clue what was going on. It’s hard to share a "moment" when you’re completely in the dark. What’s her deal? I wondered. Did she pull a 'Rebirth' and come back from the future to save me from some tragic fate? I shook the thought away. No way. That’s too trope-y, even for this world.
“Sorry, Yuehan. I just… I got a little carried away,” Bai Yu said, wiping away a stray tear before it could even fall. “Come on. Where do you want to go? Anywhere you want, I’ll take you! Just… not back there. Never back there.”
“Don’t worry,” I promised instantly. “I’m officially over that place.”
“I mean it. Keep our promise. And another thing—I know your Psi-vision lets you see things most people can't. If you spot another place like that, do not let your curiosity get the better of you. Don't look for an entrance.”
“Got it. But… are there really that many places like that on campus?” I tried to sound obedient, but I’ll admit, her warning had the opposite effect. My curiosity was already itching.
“Plenty,” she sighed. “You think there’s only one Charm Alley? Don't be naive. There are pockets like that all over the Academy. Even I don’t know where all of them are. If you see one, stay away. If you can report it anonymously, do it. If not, just turn around and walk away. Understand?”
“Wait, you can report them?” I asked, zeroing in on the most interesting part.
“Yes. Technically, the Academy bans them. But… there are always 'exceptions' and unwritten rules. Just keep your distance, especially since you’re still a freshman.”
“Message received. Staying far, far away,” I said, matching her pace as we walked.
If it’s against the rules, I’m out. I consider myself a law-abiding citizen—I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, and I definitely don’t frequent red-light districts. That first experience was enough to keep my face flushed for a week. I don’t need that kind of stress.
From now on, I’m reporting those places on sight. The last thing I need is to black out on my way to class and wake up in a place like that. That’s not a fantasy; that’s a straight-up horror movie.
“Let’s go. It’s orientation day, which means they’re finalizing the class rosters. It’s time you met your advisor. She’ll be overseeing your progress for the next few years.”
Bai Yu pulled out her broom. As I hopped on behind her, she cast one last glance back toward the now-invisible Charm Alley. Her eyes went cold.
How dare they try to lure Yuehan in, she thought. I need to find a way to get that place shut down for a while.
She’d file the anonymous report herself later. Sure, it was a waste of a perfectly good hidden spot, but some things shouldn't be messed with. She knew Yuehan well—there was no way a freshman could have opened that gate without some kind of "nudge" or outside influence.
Consider it a stroke of bad luck for the Alley. They needed to learn some moderation anyway; she was practically doing those degenerates a favor for the sake of their health.